Soil carbon

Soil carbon is an active area of research in New Zealand. Carbon is stored in the soil in root biomass and organic matter. Carbon content varies significantly by soil type, farming practices, and climate (e.g. drought). New Zealand soils are generally considered quite high in soil organic carbon. The carbon in soils can be lost relatively quickly through poor tilling and soil tipping practices, and then takes some time to recover. Find out more about soil carbon and mapping soil organic carbon stocks.